Today the NSW Police Commissioner has again decided to renew the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration (PARD) power for a further 14 days.  This power was established in the latest tranche of anti-democratic laws passed by the Minns Labor Government. While a PARD is in effect, Form 1 applications to hold an authorised assembly will not be accepted for the specified policing zones of the declaration. 

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties believes this is a disgraceful misuse of power.

Comments attributable to Timothy Roberts, President NSWCCL 

“In extending the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration this way the NSW Police Commissioner has made it unequivocal that he is acting in a political capacity and not with respect to community safety. 

“While we welcome the NSW Police saying that it will not mass arrest people for marching in the Invasion Day rally in Sydney, what a very low bar that is for our democratic freedoms in NSW. 

“It does not bring our community to peace for us to have to wait every 14 days to find which group he will allow to assemble and be heard. 

“In making the exception for the Invasion Day rally the NSW Police Commissioner makes clear his power is a divisive one. He risks inciting division as the community has to respond to decisions to approve some groups over others.

“Hyde Park is a stone's throw from the NSW Parliament building. I do not accept the commissioner's suggestion that somehow the community is safer when he so blatantly prevents them from bringing their views being brought to the doorstep of the home of democracy in this state.  

“The prohibition declaration has a chilling effect on the community, who should not have to fear police intervention when they wish to assemble. 

“The Minns Government undermines the Police Commissioner's operational role by having him make political decisions about what protests can and cannot proceed without police intervention.  The people of NSW deserve a government that is genuinely interested in combating racism, not merely repressing the expression of opinions they do not agree with.  

“In using the rhetoric calling ‘calm’ and ‘peace’ the commissioner unfairly implies the protests we have seen over the last few years have been anything but peaceful. This is particularly galling given the serious assault and injury Hannah Thomas suffered at the hands of one of his officers at just such a protest.”